The Lusiads (tr. Burton)/Canto I

Os Lusiadas

(The Lusiads).

CANTO I.

ARGUMENT

OF THE FIRST CANTO.

The Portugueze navigate the Eastern Seas: The Gods hold their Council: Bacchus opposeth himself to this navigation: Venus and Mars favour the navigators: They arrive at Mozambíque, the Governor whereof attempteth to destroy them: Encounter and first military Action of our People with the Gentiles: They weigh anchor; and, passing Quiloa, they ride in the roadstead of Mombasah.

ANOTHER ARGUMENT.

Fazem Concilio os deoscs na alta Côrte,
Oppoem-se Baccho á Lusitana gente,
Favorece-a Venus, e Mavorte,
E em Moçambique lança o ferreo dente:
Depois de aqui mostrar ssu brço forte,
Destruindo, e matando juntamente,
Torna as partes buscar da roxa Aurora,
E chegando a Mombaça surge fora.

The Gods hold council Heaven's high court within,(20—41)

Bacchus our Lusian braves to thwart doth seek
Who meed of Mars, and grace of Venus gain,

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(73—81)

Till cast the ferreous tooth in Mozambíque:

Thence, when their arm of pow'r display'd had been,
Death and destruction on the foe to wreak;

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(85)

Fareth the fleet where red Aurora bideth;
And, reach'd Mombasah-town, outside it rideth.(103)

CANTO I.

The feats of Arms, and famed heroick Host,⁠1
⁠from occidental Lusitanian strand,
⁠who o'er the waters ne'er by seaman crost,
⁠farèd beyond the Taprobáne-land,^[1]
⁠forceful in perils and in battle-post,
⁠with more than promised force of mortal hand;
and in the regions of a distant race
rear'd a new throne so haught in Pride of Place:

And, eke, the Kings of mem'ory grand and glorious,⁠2
⁠who hied them Holy Faith and Reign to spread,
⁠converting, conquering, and in lands notorious,
⁠Africk and Asia, devastation made;
⁠nor less the Lieges who by deeds memorious
⁠brake from the doom that binds the vulgar dead;
my song would sound o'er Earth's extremest part
were mine the genius, mine the Poet's art.

Cease the sage Grecian, and the Man of Troy⁠3
⁠to vaunt long Voyage made in bygone day:
⁠Cease Alexander, Trajan cease to 'joy
⁠the fame of vict'ories that have pass'd away:
⁠The noble Lusian's stouter breast sing I,
⁠whom Mars and Neptune dared not disobey:
Cease all that antique Muse hath sung, for now
a better Brav'ry rears its bolder brow.

And you, my Tagian Nymphs,^[2] who have create⁠4
⁠in me new purpose with new genius firing;
⁠if 't was my joy whilere to celebrate
⁠your founts and stream my humble song inspiring;^[3]
⁠Oh! lend me here a noble strain elate,
⁠a style grandiloquent that flows untiring;
so shall Apollo for your waves ordain ye
in name and fame ne'er envy Hippokréné.

Grant me sonorous accents, fire-abounding,⁠5
⁠now serves ne peasant's pipe, ne rustick reed;
⁠but blast of trumpet, long and loud resounding,
⁠that 'flameth heart and hue to fiery deed:
⁠Grant me high strains to suit their Gestes astounding,
⁠your Sons, who aided Mars in martial need;
that o'er the world be sung the glorious song,
if theme so lofty may to verse belong.

And Thou! O goodly omen'd trust, all-dear^[4]⁠6
⁠to Lusitania's olden liberty,
⁠whereon assurèd esperance we rear
⁠enforced to see our frail Christianity:
⁠Thou, O new terror to the Moorish spear,
⁠the fated marvel of our century,
to govern worlds of men by God so given,
that the world's best be given to God and Heaven:

Thou young, thou tender, ever-flourishing bough,⁠7
⁠true scion of tree by Christ belovèd more,
⁠than aught that Occident did ever know,
⁠"Cæsarian" or "Most Christian" styled before:
⁠Look on thy 'scutcheon, and behold it show
⁠the present Vict'ory long past ages bore;
⁠Arms which He gave and made thine own to be
by Him assumèd on the fatal tree:^[5]

Thou, mighty Sovran! o'er whose lofty reign⁠8
⁠the rising Sun rains earliest smile of light;
⁠sees it from middle firmamental plain;
⁠and sights it sinking on the breast of Night:
⁠Thou, whom we hope to hail the blight, the bane
⁠of the dishonour'd Ishmaëlitish knight;
and Orient Turk, and Gentoo-misbeliever
that drinks the liquor of the Sacred River:^[6]

Incline awhile, I pray, that majesty⁠9
⁠which in thy tender years I see thus ample,
⁠E'en now prefiguring full maturity
⁠that shall be shrin'd in Fame's eternal temple:
⁠Those royal eyne that beam benignity
⁠bend on low earth: Behold a new ensample
of hero hearts with patriot pride inflamèd,
in number'd verses manifold proclaimèd.

Thou shalt see Love of Land that ne'er shall own⁠10
⁠lust of vile lucre; soaring towards th' Eternal:
⁠For 't is no light ambition to be known
⁠th' acclaimèd herald of my nest paternal.
⁠Hear; thou shalt see the great names greater grown
⁠of Vavasors who hail thee Lord Supernal:
So shalt thou judge which were the higher station,
King of the world or Lord of such a nation.

Hark; for with vauntings vain thou shalt not view⁠11
⁠phantastical, fictitious, lying deed
⁠of lieges lauded, as strange Muses do,
⁠seeking their fond and foolish pride to feed:
⁠Thine acts so forceful are, told simply true,
⁠all fabled, dreamy feats they far exceed;
exceeding Rodomont, and Ruggiero vain,
and Roland^[7] haply born of Poet's brain.

By sea such tempests, such sore injury,⁠106
⁠with Death so often showing near and sure!
⁠By land such warfare, such foul treachery,
⁠so much of curst necessities t' endure!
⁠Ah! where shall weary man take sanctuary,
⁠where live his little span of life secure?
and 'scape of Heav'n serene th' indignant storms
that launch their thunders at us earthen worms?

↑ Ceylon.
↑ The "Tagides" are the Poet's Muses.
↑ Alluding to Eclogues, Pastorals, etc.
↑ Invocation to Dom Sebastiam.
↑ The Arms of Portugal (Canto III. 53, 54).
↑ The Ganges (not the Jordan).
↑ Ariosto, i. 2, etc.

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[1] Ceylon.

[2] The "Tagides" are the Poet's Muses.

[3] Alluding to Eclogues, Pastorals, etc.

[4] Invocation to Dom Sebastiam.

[5] The Arms of Portugal (Canto III. 53, 54).

[6] The Ganges (not the Jordan).

[7] Ariosto, i. 2, etc.

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